By Sandra Sieber, IESE professor
Over the course of this year, interest in Web 2.0 applications development has risen sharply. However, Spanish companies have been slow to seize the opportunities associated with this phenomenon.

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Will Microsoft survive the new era of online computing? It will be a world in which everything is connected, where users take advantage of all the available resources and computing power on the Net, regardless of where they are connecting or the device being used. And it will all be offered up for free or at prices far lower than today's, and more user-friendly. The mere doubt seems like a provocation, considering the fact that Microsoft, among other things, is still the world's first software maker, absolutely dominates the desktop market, and has a larger R&D budget than any other company. To boot, Microsoft has already launched free online services built entirely around network computing, such as the new generation of Windows Live, and its development of additional products with this philosophy, including Windows Azure. Nevertheless, many observers note that the company's online services are floundering and question whether its engineers can find a replacement capable of bringing in the same revenues currently generated by the sale of software licenses, namely those for Windows and Office. They also feel that Microsoft entered the world of cloud computing too late and is swimming against the current in a race that is presently led by Google and Salesforce, and for which major players such as IBM are readying themselves to join at full steam. Moreover, it is a world in which open-source applications are spreading like wildfire. They also consider that Microsoft is at a disadvantage in that scenario, since the price of success could mean the cannibalization of its massive monopoly on installed software. Analysts say the company's future will depend on its performance in this battle, since those that are unable to adapt to the new era of computing will simply disappear. 

Articles in, El País (Spanish), Business Week, Les Echos (French)

Spain is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the liberalization of its telecommunications industry. January 1, 1998, marked the beginning of a process of deregulation that in ten years has drastically changed the Spanish telecommunications landscape. What was then a monopoly held by Compañía Telefónica Nacional de España is now a market with multiple companies in competition and a highly expanded range of consumer telecommunications services. It is a market that currently sees revenues of 45 billion euros and ranks first in terms of Spanish R&D investment. Nevertheless, it has been an arduous process that in some respects is far from over. The final battle in the process is has been set off by Telefónica's deployment of fiber optics. This was highlighted at the official anniversary celebration event in Barcelona.
According to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, "Brussels has emphasized that fiber optics will be governed by the same introductory regulations as the copper network and that it will not permit 'a step backwards' towards monopoly."

Articles in Spanish, Público, La Vanguardia, Blog de la CMT 

Title: “Las tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones en la Empresa Española, 2008” [Information and Communication Technologies in Spanish Businesses, 2008].
Source: AETIC
Date: September 2008
Abstract: The progress of the information society in Spain is the subject of numerous annual studies, such as that published by the consulting firm Everis on the use of technology in the Spanish business environment. This year's edition of the study, commissioned by the industry association AETIC and based on the data obtained from 4,000 interviews, shows the advancement of businesses in this area. For instance, the penetration rate of computers for professional activities is now up to 91% in Spanish companies, corporate cell phones are used in nearly 83% of businesses, and 47.1% of businesses have their own corporate website. The report also reveals the weak points in terms of technology use by Spanish companies, particularly that of small businesses. One prominent example is the limited use of such technologies as VoIP, mobile electronic commerce and electronic billing.

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Title: Estadística sobre actividades de I+D en España [Statistics on R&D Activity in Spain]
Source: INE
Date: December 12, 2008
Abstract: Spain's National Statistics Institute has just published its study on R&D activity in Spain during 2007. The report was presented by Cotec, a foundation devoted to driving technological innovation in businesses. It estimates that the 7.5 billion euros invested in that activity during 2007 represent a 14% increase compared to the previous year. It also highlights how investment in the private sector outgained that of the public sector, a result in line with the Lisbon Strategy agreements, which stipulate that the majority of this investment should fall on the private sector. On December 16, the Cotec Foundation will be presenting a second INE study, this one covering technological innovation in companies during 2007.

Full Story (Spanish)

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have revolutionized business models, organizational structure and the way people work. These changes are on the agendas of Spanish IT directors; however, certain aspects are falling short of their expectations.

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The Catalan Association of Telecommunications Engineers (ACET) and the Official Association of Telecommunications Engineers of Catalonia (COTEC) are organizing the 14th edition of La Nit de les Telecomunicacions [Telecommunications Night] under the theme of "La Nit y el juego de la innovación" ["The Night and the Game of Innovation"]. The event will be taking place on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, at "L'Auditori" in Barcelona, starting at 19:00.

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